Aircon Systems & poss DIY

[HardwareGeek]

Looking for advice on installing aircon before summer starts, would be in a bedroom to help with sleeping at night (can also heat in winter).

Think the best option would be a split system but i am trying to decide if DIY quick coupling system would be as good as a 'real' professionally installed split system?

Looking at 900/12000 btu system, room is just on the border of the 2 systems, think the advice is to slightly undersize rather than oversize?

Basically are the quick couplers a false economy vs. getting 'real' professionally installed system.

Believe price would be 650 for DIY vs. 1k for pro install but i haven't got a proper quote just guessing.

 

[Dave L]

Surely it never gets warm enough here in the UK for a/c to be of any tangible benefit?

What about a £99.99 ceiling fan? Best thing I've bought for the bedroom.

 

[HardwareGeek]

Already have a ceiling fan, got that for last summer, helped a lot but still not comfortable. just took the edge off.

Room is south facing and 2 walls have triple windows always getting the sun, have blinds already to keep some of the heat out

 

[RJC]

Quick couplers will be just as good as a fixed system and will be easy for self install and save on cost.

A professional installed system would able to give you choice of manufactures and you will not be limited we're to install the system due pipe run's, in saying that I am not sure if if a self install has a max limit on pipe runs.

I have got to install in my flat, but as I am looking at moving I will not worry.

 

[HardwareGeek]

Quick couplers will be just as good as a fixed system and will be easy for self install and save on cost.

A professional installed system would able to give you choice of manufactures and you will not be limited we're to install the system due pipe run's, in saying that I am not sure if if a self install has a max limit on pipe runs.

I have got to install in my flat, but as I am looking at moving I will not worry.

Luckily i think ive got pretty much the easiest possible install, straight through the wall and outside unit directly below less than 4 meters pipe run.

So would just be a job to drill the hole in the wall really, might have to be a 4" core, not sure atm

Was thinking that the quick couplers limit your choice to Ecoair afaik, when maybe a Daikin would be better, just dont know how much better vs. price etc

Also concerned about the noise for the outside unit for neighbors etc, would like as little noise as possible

 

[RJC]

Daikin, Mitsubishi are the top manufactures of splits having worked on both units.

I would look at a Inverter system when choosing, least with the likes of Daikin ect you will have no issues in getting spares if anything does go wrong, If Ecoair are like my companies splits you want to lob it in the bin!

 

[HardwareGeek]

Was considering a Daikin Siesta 12000 BTU, like this ....

Would this need a pro to install, how difficult a DIY job would it be? need a vacuum pump to clear the lines? Also guess you would lose the warranty

 

[RJC]

That's not a bad price!

You would ideally need to pressure test and then evacuate, you can by pre-flared and lagged lines which will help install.

Warranty side I can't comment really.

 

[HardwareGeek]

Just had a quick read of an installation guide including pressure test and all, looks pretty involved and easy to get wrong especially without the correct tools and equipment. Would want the job done right not bodged so maybe best i don't attempt DIY.

Back to pro install vs. cheap couplers then, more research needed.

This..is the coupler model, based on Toshiba tech, does it look any good?

 

[ubersonic]

Its a scam, you can buy them and DIY them, but not legally, if you look at the bottom of the page:

All split air conditioning units contain F Gas and is govern by F-Gas regulations. All F-Gas units must be handle by qualified F-Gas engineers.

You will generally find that if you DIY it the manufacturer will not honour the warranty (even on units advertised as for DIY) if they have not been installed by a qualified person, and also after installing an AC system the is a legal requirement to commission it, you cannot do this without the appropriate qualifications/licences.

 

[arknor]

If it's just for one room then I would buy a TD-silent inline fan fromhttp:///tdsilent-acoustic-inline-mixed-flow-duct-fan-p-584.html and some ducting actually I did might not help much if it's hot outside though but at night the air outside is generally much cooler than the air in your room even on the hottest days anyway, TBH I just have mine for the nice fresh air as I hate a stuffy bedroom and an open window is not much use if there is no wind outside
Just don't get reflective ducting if your taking air in from an open window or people will think you are some kind of cannabis grower

They are designed to run 24/7
They are one of the quietest in-line fans you can buy if not the quietest
They have a 5 year warranty

You just need some 2 core wire from wilkinsons and a plug, they are idiot proof to wire up, there's 2 settings a low speed and a high speed you just wire it to which ever speed you want. (that website should sell an S&P speed controller as well if you want total control of the fan i think it's £25),

Here's a photo of the side of the box showing some usage suggestions, obviously you aren't forced to use it as an extractor as the fan doesn't car if it's pulling or pushing they are rated for 40 feet/12 metres of ducting max (the 4inch/100mm model anyway the larger ones can probably handle longer runs of ducting)

The fan can be mounted vertical or horizontal that pic on the box is just saying not to have the fan at head height for noise reasons

I have the 4inch version and it's 24DB, the sound of the air moving is louder than the fan , some of the larger more powerful models have a lower DB rating as well, it's about the size of an rpg though because the case acts as a built in muffler
(the 4inch version actually has 5inch diameter intake/exhaust holes but comes with 5inch >
4inch reducers that just click onto the unit)

Been tempted to attach the ducting to my pc instead of having fans LOL

 

[wonder_lander]

@arknor, that looks interesting. Have you got any pics of your actual install?

 

[arknor]

unfortunately not the only thing you can see in the bedroom is a grill in the ceiling similar to this photo which I grabbed on google

the fan is in the loft pulling air in from a louvre that's at an external angle so water can't get into it with a filter so it's not pulling in dirty air (city centre traffic pollution sucks!).

the airflow is much quieter if you use solid ducting as there's less resistance.
its not that hard to do I just used 4inch pvc pipe and some 90 degree solid duct bends .

Apart from the price of the fan it doesn't really cost much, you can get much cheaper fans but they are obviously louder.

If you wanted to be ghetto then you could just buy a fan and a few metres of flexible ducting and have the ducting pulling in air from an open window.

If you do have the fan in the actual room in a ghetto way then for ultimate silence you can wrap the fan in cling film , stick it in a box and squirt loads of expanding foam inside obviously with the ducting attached and sticking out each side of the box.

the fan gets cooled from the airflow passing through them so it would be totally safe and they have a thermal cut off anyway at I think it was 40c so it would turn off before it overheated and burnt out

 

[wonder_lander]

Thanks for the pic. How do you turn it on and off?

Does it blow on you or simply pull the temperature down?

Our bedroom gets very hot in the summer and our ceiling fan just tends to move the warm air around as opposed to cooling us down!

 

[RJC]

Just had a quick read of an installation guide including pressure test and all, looks pretty involved and easy to get wrong especially without the correct tools and equipment. Would want the job done right not bodged so maybe best i don't attempt DIY.

Back to pro install vs. cheap couplers then, more research needed.

This..is the coupler model, based on Toshiba tech, does it look any good?

Did you get one in the end?

Toshiba are good along with Daikin, Mitsubishi & Panasonic.

Our office, Crew Room & workshop are cooled by Toshiba splits and the only thing I have needed to replace is the compressor contactor in the office.

The couplers will be easy to easy and you wont need any major specialist tools.

 

[arknor]

Thanks for the pic. How do you turn it on and off?

Does it blow on you or simply pull the temperature down?

Our bedroom gets very hot in the summer and our ceiling fan just tends to move the warm air around as opposed to cooling us down!

Lol I don't have a Ceiling fan just the vent with the inline fan pulling cold air from outside and pushing it through the ducting and out of the vent into my bedroom.

on full power you can feel the air from around 5-10 inches away but it's not meant to blow on you just cool the room down